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guppy
Sep 21, 2004

sting like a byob

Frown Town posted:

Timonium Earth Treks? That place was my stomping grounds before I moved to Boulder. It's a great gym! Will be visiting Baltimore next week and probably will climb Fri afternoon.

That's the most convenient for me, yeah, but I do make it down to Columbia once in a while. (Rockville is pretty inconvenient for me.) I'm currently nursing a foot injury, but if you want a partner I'm hoping to be fit by then.

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gamera009
Apr 7, 2005

Any of the Boulder goons that actually climb rocks have plans this fall? :v:

Probably going to be looking at a trip to Empire/Ra if it's clear this fall. Probably got room for another set or a middle.

Also, going to be forced to choose a gym for the winter. Sucks that all the Boulder gyms raised rates or are losing all of the good staff. Last thing I want is a gym rep watching some reckless rear end in a top hat climb dangerously, dyno into some other climber, then play it off as "that thing that guy does."

remote control carnivore
May 7, 2009

azreal posted:

What's wrong with auto-belays?

They take a few seconds to engage. So you're freefalling a bit before the mechanism kicks in. They take some getting used to, well, for me they did anyways.

modig
Aug 20, 2002
I'm thinking Penitente Canyon over Veteran's Day weekend. I just bought a new guide book for bouldering in the front range, so probably some more exploring of bouldering areas. I've been happy with Movement.

spwrozek
Sep 4, 2006

Sail when it's windy

gamera009 posted:

Any of the Boulder goons that actually climb rocks have plans this fall? :v:

Probably going to be looking at a trip to Empire/Ra if it's clear this fall. Probably got room for another set or a middle.

Also, going to be forced to choose a gym for the winter. Sucks that all the Boulder gyms raised rates or are losing all of the good staff. Last thing I want is a gym rep watching some reckless rear end in a top hat climb dangerously, dyno into some other climber, then play it off as "that thing that guy does."

I will be down for some climbing after the 25th (sorry I have been MIA, would like to pass the PE... We will see) and before the ski season really gets going.

I will probably take the winter off because I hate spending money on the gym... I would be down for a few week night meet ups at people's gym of choice in boulder.

gamera009
Apr 7, 2005

modig posted:

I'm thinking Penitente Canyon over Veteran's Day weekend. I just bought a new guide book for bouldering in the front range, so probably some more exploring of bouldering areas. I've been happy with Movement.

I like Movement for the roped climbing, but there isn't much for bouldering. My winter schedule doesn't overlap with anyone I know, so no belayer. And Movement got rid of the autobelays.

Bouldering this winter sounds like a good idea. After the flood, there should be a lot of new exposed stuff along the flatirons. Too bad the canyon won't be open anytime soon. :(

pbpancho
Feb 17, 2004
-=International Sales=-

Save me jeebus posted:

They take a few seconds to engage. So you're freefalling a bit before the mechanism kicks in. They take some getting used to, well, for me they did anyways.

Not all of them do that. The Nicros (I think) ones at Vertical Endeavors have a gentle upward pull all the time and lower smoothly. I would not like ones that took a second to engage!

Shine
Feb 26, 2007

No Muscles For The Majority

PRADA SLUT posted:

I do sometimes, I go to the Circuit a lot more though since I usually climb alone and the handful of auto belays and little bouldering area at PRG isn't usually worth it to me.

The Circuit is having the Portland Bouldering Rally this weekend.

I'm more into roped climbing so I got a membership at PRG. I'll check out The Circuit one of these days. I've always kinda ignored bouldering, so even when I was topping 5.12 and leading 5.11, I was struggling with V4 :shrug:.

ZeroDays
Feb 11, 2007

the fuck you know about what i need on my mind mother fucker
The thing that strikes me about auto-belays is that the worst accidents I ever hear of are people forgetting to fasten themselves to them and decking hard. You can't replace a human who can check your poo poo.

modig
Aug 20, 2002

ZeroDays posted:

The thing that strikes me about auto-belays is that the worst accidents I ever hear of are people forgetting to fasten themselves to them and decking hard. You can't replace a human who can check your poo poo.

Yes you can. Just drop off 5 feet up before you go up 15.

Speleothing
May 6, 2008

Spare batteries are pretty key.
RE: climbing in Denver - I'm down to gym climb Tuesday or Wednesday nights. My work gets me into the Spot in Boulder and Rock'n & Jam'n in Thornton for free.

The new gym in golden is about three blocks from my house, and it should be open in November. I'll almost certainly get a pass of some sort. So you can probably expect to see me there most mornings.

gamera009
Apr 7, 2005

Speleothing posted:

RE: climbing in Denver - I'm down to gym climb Tuesday or Wednesday nights. My work gets me into the Spot in Boulder and Rock'n & Jam'n in Thornton for free.

The new gym in golden is about three blocks from my house, and it should be open in November. I'll almost certainly get a pass of some sort. So you can probably expect to see me there most mornings.

Tuesdays I could do.

Is the new gym the EarthTreks?

PRADA SLUT
Mar 14, 2006

Inexperienced,
heartless,
but even so

Shine posted:

I'm more into roped climbing so I got a membership at PRG. I'll check out The Circuit one of these days. I've always kinda ignored bouldering, so even when I was topping 5.12 and leading 5.11, I was struggling with V4 :shrug:.

I don't think bouldering is easier or harder or whatever but I think that it's a lot more dynamic and the motion ranges and moves tend to be more broad, whereas the toprope is a lot more straightforward. It's like bouldering just takes the crux of a problem and removes all the endurance from getting up to that part. When I started bouldering (over toprope) more I realized that my core and grip was a lot weaker than I thought it was.

You should visit the Portland Bouldering Rally at the Circuit this Saturday. You don't have to climb, but at least you can check out the gym (and watch some climbing). I go there because there's a bunch of different types of climbing, including some like 20 foot walls that feel like a short toprope. I was a bouldering hater until I went to The Circuit and that's my primary hangout now.

It seems like all the bouldering at PRG is a bunch of underhangs and it almost makes it artificially difficult. I didn't think the route setting was very interesting, comparatively. I still visit PRG here and there but it's more of like training for smith or whatever.

http://www.portlandboulderrally.com

PRADA SLUT fucked around with this message at 00:34 on Oct 11, 2013

Covert Ops Wizard
Dec 27, 2006

Bouldering has a much harder difficulty curve than routes when you go by ratings or whatever. Like the difference between a V0 and a V1 is huge to a beginning climber, because most people think of handholds solely as rungs on a ladder you have to pull yourself up. Going sideways across a wall is loving weird to a beginning climber, and a V1 can own them based solely on that. I think it's a little harder to get into bouldering because of that, but the kind of people who like the "body puzzle" aspect climbing love it. Put that against the difference between a 5.6 and a 5.7, the holds get a little harder and the moves a little take maybe a hair better body position but nothing drastic changes between those two difficulties, especially going straight up on a top rope.

Irving
Jun 21, 2003

pbpancho posted:

Not all of them do that. The Nicros (I think) ones at Vertical Endeavors have a gentle upward pull all the time and lower smoothly. I would not like ones that took a second to engage!

I HAAAATE the ones that pull you up. They feel weird, pull you in odd directions and get in the way. That second of freefall is nothing compared to a lead fall. You get used to it if you've been caught a few times.

Unoriginal Name
Aug 1, 2006

by sebmojo

Covert Ops Wizard posted:

Bouldering has a much harder difficulty curve than routes when you go by ratings or whatever. Like the difference between a V0 and a V1 is huge to a beginning climber, because most people think of handholds solely as rungs on a ladder you have to pull yourself up. Going sideways across a wall is loving weird to a beginning climber, and a V1 can own them based solely on that. I think it's a little harder to get into bouldering because of that, but the kind of people who like the "body puzzle" aspect climbing love it. Put that against the difference between a 5.6 and a 5.7, the holds get a little harder and the moves a little take maybe a hair better body position but nothing drastic changes between those two difficulties, especially going straight up on a top rope.

My friend called it "physical problem solving" at one point, which I've always liked. It really is the engagement of both mind and body that made me stick with it.

remote control carnivore
May 7, 2009

Unoriginal Name posted:

My friend called it "physical problem solving" at one point, which I've always liked. It really is the engagement of both mind and body that made me stick with it.

One of my mentors calls it "physical chess", and it's definitely been a big pull for me, too.

Speaking of physical chess, I did my first sport lead today.

On a 5.9. :smugdog:

4R7 THi3F
Aug 8, 2005

oh... so you ARE sick....
Is there a correct way to fall when you're bouldering? I almost hit my face against the wall the last Wednesday when I missed a grab, and I was probably lucky that I didn't break my nose. :/

I'm basically completely new to bouldering, and my goal is to start roped climbing by the end of the year. I feel like bouldering is a good way to build up some core skills/strength before I take a 101 rope class. So far, I really enjoy it and I completely agree with the assessment that it's "physical problem solving;" you always have to contemplate your next move since you're using your body in a completely unnatural and unintuitive fashion.

Also, I would love to revisit Utah this summer and actually try some roped climbing in the outdoors! I did some canyoneering and rappelling this summer, and I loved it, and I want to go back!

Pedestrian Xing
Jul 19, 2007

Anyone in the Chattanooga area looking for a climbing partner? I'm still pretty new but really want to get more into climbing.

Grisly Grotto
Jun 17, 2003

Are sure you should fight tonight? You don't look well.

4R7 THi3F posted:

Is there a correct way to fall when you're bouldering? I almost hit my face against the wall the last Wednesday when I missed a grab, and I was probably lucky that I didn't break my nose. :/

I'm basically completely new to bouldering, and my goal is to start roped climbing by the end of the year. I feel like bouldering is a good way to build up some core skills/strength before I take a 101 rope class. So far, I really enjoy it and I completely agree with the assessment that it's "physical problem solving;" you always have to contemplate your next move since you're using your body in a completely unnatural and unintuitive fashion.

Also, I would love to revisit Utah this summer and actually try some roped climbing in the outdoors! I did some canyoneering and rappelling this summer, and I loved it, and I want to go back!

Not onto your head? Falling is something that goes with the territory when climbing outside - whether roped or bouldering or whatever. Basically you need to be aware of how you are gonna fall at any given point, and generally try to avoid putting yourself in positions where you're gonna smash your face in or break an ankle. Sometimes a bad/awkward fall is going to be unavoidable and if that is the case you need to decide whether you're confident you can make the move, and whether you are willing to take the risk or if you are going to back down.

Roped climbing is fun and you should do it :)

jackchaos
Aug 6, 2008

4R7 THi3F posted:

Is there a correct way to fall when you're bouldering?

Falling becomes instinctual almost. Mainly try to right yourself to fall on your feet and if you can't do that land in a way where you won't break an ankle. Also never fall with your arms out bracing for a catch. You gotta remember this is a sport where your hands and feet are your tools, when you gently caress those up and your screwed. I say when because building long enough and an injury is immanent.

Edit: forgot my main thing I wanted to say. When falling on a slab out more dead vertical section of wall you can kick off or push of with your hands so you font Getty the cheese grater effect.

jackchaos fucked around with this message at 17:17 on Oct 13, 2013

Covert Ops Wizard
Dec 27, 2006

4R7 THi3F posted:

Is there a correct way to fall when you're bouldering? I almost hit my face against the wall the last Wednesday when I missed a grab, and I was probably lucky that I didn't break my nose. :/

I'm basically completely new to bouldering, and my goal is to start roped climbing by the end of the year. I feel like bouldering is a good way to build up some core skills/strength before I take a 101 rope class. So far, I really enjoy it and I completely agree with the assessment that it's "physical problem solving;" you always have to contemplate your next move since you're using your body in a completely unnatural and unintuitive fashion.

Also, I would love to revisit Utah this summer and actually try some roped climbing in the outdoors! I did some canyoneering and rappelling this summer, and I loved it, and I want to go back!

And this is why my gym has started mandatory bouldering safety classes/tests.

Ironically, roped climbing is safer in a gym, and takes a lot less strength to do.

Also, these guys telling you falling is instinctual or that there's no technique to it are talking from the position of tons of experience, forgot how they learned and are wrong because of that. It's instinctual and requires no thought for them NOW. When they were a gumby unless they did another activity with tons of falling (skateboards, judo) they were just as clueless as you are, and even then they probably had to modify their falling technique (for instance, judo falls involve smacking the poo poo out of the mat when they fall; skateboarders have to do more to protect their head and spine). It really is a learned thing, because most people, despite the mattress-sized mats underneath them, still have the instinct to try to protect their spine and skulls, which is unnecessary in the gym. That said, most climbers had to teach themselves, because there's a weird thing where climbers will spray all day about how to do that V1 you're working on but won't say a loving thing when you're falling like an idiot and are on the verge of hurting yourself.

That said, when you fall, try to catch yourself with your heels first, then roll onto your butt and then back along the line of your spine. Keep your arms to the side, but not behind you. If you try to catch yourself with your arms, you will break an arm or a finger. Best way to explain it is fall onto the mat as you would your bed after a long night of drinking. Straight on your back, arms out. That also means don't tense up. Let your head hit the mat if it must, poo poo's soft anyway. You did place your mat right, right?

If you're going to overbalance trying to land on your feet, do it backwards. You won't hit the wall that way. Also, no spotters. You're in the gym for gently caress's sake, if any dumbass goes to stand under you tell him to cut that poo poo out. The only thing under you is huge soft rear end pads, you don't need a body getting in your way on the way to the ground.

Hope that helps a little.

JustAnother Fat Guy
Dec 22, 2009

Go to hell, and take your cheap suit with you!

Wor posted:

Hello climbing thread. Is it too soon to bring the ice climbing and mixed climbing stoke to the thread?

The early season is only a month away in the Canadian Rockies... and usually a 3hr walk is involved, but that's all part of the fun of chasing early season ice. Sharpen those tools and crampons!

Scottish ice season is looking a month away if lucky. My axes are sharp and my crampons are being sharpened tomorrow. Time to buy some new screamers, and go lay waste to the high crags before winter makes them impossible to access.

Headhunter
Jun 3, 2003
One - You lock the target

4R7 THi3F posted:

Is there a correct way to fall when you're bouldering? I almost hit my face against the wall the last Wednesday when I missed a grab, and I was probably lucky that I didn't break my nose. :/

Falling in a bouldering gym is pretty safe unless you're either on a slab or some idiot is milling around underneath you. If you're falling when trying to grab something you probably need to put some more consideration into where your feet are so that you're not off balance when reaching for holds.

On a related note I did my first V4 problem today that starts with a pretty big dyno up onto an overhang from almost a sitting start. Felt pretty awesome considering I've only been climbing 2 months. Going to hopefully do some outside bouldering soon where I expect to be utterly terrible as I've only ever climbed indoors.

Caf
May 21, 2004

I'm King James! The Lion King!

Headhunter posted:

On a related note I did my first V4 problem today that starts with a pretty big dyno up onto an overhang from almost a sitting start. Felt pretty awesome considering I've only been climbing 2 months.

I finished my first V4 last week after five months of climbing and my friends at the gym all thought it was pretty quick progression. Two months? Holy poo poo.

4R7 THi3F posted:

Is there a correct way to fall when you're bouldering? I almost hit my face against the wall the last Wednesday when I missed a grab, and I was probably lucky that I didn't break my nose. :/

There has been a lot of good advice on this topic already so I would just like to reiterate that practicing falls is the best thing you can do. Practice moves low to the ground and put your body in all kinds of different positions then think about what you would have to do in order to land safely if you fell from that position. Before you know it, you too will be an experienced climber faller and forget what it was like to not know what the gently caress.

Unoriginal Name
Aug 1, 2006

by sebmojo
Falling? Feet-> rear end-> Back

Don't roll sideways in the air. Always try for arms up and feet down and remember that when you start heel hooking and jumping.

TotallyUnoriginal
Oct 15, 2004

Damnit bob

Unoriginal Name posted:

Falling? Feet-> rear end-> Back

Don't roll sideways in the air. Always try for arms up and feet down and remember that when you start heel hooking and jumping.


What kind of name is that???

:frogout:

TotallyUnoriginal
Oct 15, 2004

Damnit bob

Pedestrian Xing posted:

Anyone in the Chattanooga area looking for a climbing partner? I'm still pretty new but really want to get more into climbing.

I travel up to Chatty a few times a year from Florida for Obed/Foster/LRC. What climbing areas have you been going to?


Also it makes me sad that some of you guys were in Tampa but not since I started a few years back :smith:

Pedestrian Xing
Jul 19, 2007

TotallyUnoriginal posted:

I travel up to Chatty a few times a year from Florida for Obed/Foster/LRC. What climbing areas have you been going to?


Also it makes me sad that some of you guys were in Tampa but not since I started a few years back :smith:

I've been to the local gym (Urban Rocks) a few times and did some climbing at Lookout Mountain last weekend and had a great time. There's a local group going to Obed this coming weekend but it sounds like it's way above my level. Right now I really want to find someone to go to the gym with to get some practice in, there's not that many routes with an autobelay.

TotallyUnoriginal
Oct 15, 2004

Damnit bob
There is some easy stuff out there depending on where you go; it also depends on what level they'll be climbing at as well though. If they're 5.9/5.10 climbers then you can probably tag along and get some TR 5.8/9s in.

Nifty
Aug 31, 2004

A few pictures from bouldering these past two weekends at the Palm Springs Tramway, in Southern California




Hueco Shuffle, V0


V3 highball


Attempting second ascent of Slippery Salamander, V2+ slabalicious


Emerald City, V0 highball

French Canadian
Feb 23, 2004

Fluffy cat sensory experience

Nifty posted:

A few pictures from bouldering these past two weekends at the Palm Springs Tramway, in Southern California

Oh, wow there is snow up there already. I stopped going to tram after I did a sequence of trips one particular year. Got kind of tired and people kept wanting to just project the same routes. Also hate that loving tram music. Fuuuuuuuuck.

Are you new to that area? It's pretty cool in general. Something-something Head of the Dragon is a rad V3/4 and Swing Dance (V7) gave me much grief. I don't think I could ever repeat that latter route. Too sharp. The Cube (V5) is fun to try with no right shoe since you can downward toe hook with just your big toe.

Also got stranded up there once from a broken tram. Everyone had to sit up at chalet and wait for about 3-4 hours, and eventually we started buying bottles of champagne from the bar and getting free ice cream and snacks (the operators saw people were getting cranky) and having an apocalypse party. We determined that Russia dropped nuclear bombs and everything below us was destroyed.

French Canadian fucked around with this message at 19:51 on Oct 15, 2013

Nifty
Aug 31, 2004

French Canadian posted:

Oh, wow there is snow up there already. I stopped going to tram after I did a sequence of trips one particular year. Got kind of tired and people kept wanting to just project the same routes. Also hate that loving tram music. Fuuuuuuuuck.

Are you new to that area? It's pretty cool in general. Something-something Head of the Dragon is a rad V3/4 and Swing Dance (V7) gave me much grief. I don't think I could ever repeat that latter route. Too sharp. The Cube (V5) is fun to try with no right shoe since you can downward toe hook with just your big toe.

Head of the Dragon or whatever it's called is awesome! One of my buddies sent it this weekend. Also one of the guys in our group is projecting The Cube, I'll pass along the no shoe concept next time I talk to him. I'm not new the area but I'm relatively new to climbing, I climb V2-V3 in the gym and project V2s outside. Worked on a V2 on the same boulder as Paul's Roof for a while, but its so sharp it's terrible.

Wor
Oct 21, 2005
Here is some Canadian ice climbing stoke from Kananaskis Country, 12-Oct-2013. This is also waaaay too early for sane people to ice climb up here. Only a handful of climbs are in, or you go do alpine on the Icefields Parkway. I think we got lucky when we gambled on this one.


Our line on the left. Unclimbed insanity on the right.


Kananaskis Country in the fall. Lots of snow already for mid-October!


Second pitch (crux curtain above)

pokchu
Aug 22, 2007
D:

Pedestrian Xing posted:

I've been to the local gym (Urban Rocks) a few times and did some climbing at Lookout Mountain last weekend and had a great time. There's a local group going to Obed this coming weekend but it sounds like it's way above my level. Right now I really want to find someone to go to the gym with to get some practice in, there's not that many routes with an autobelay.

I just moved from Chattanooga, and I'll be back for a week or more come january. If you'd like, maybe you could join us when we inevitably go hit the crags we've been missing (I know it's like three months out, but still)

Teeter
Jul 21, 2005

Hey guys! I'm having a good time, what about you?

Tramway is awesome. The $50 Summer pass this year was an awesome deal up until the mountain decided to burn and get the area shut down early.

Pedestrian Xing
Jul 19, 2007

pokchu posted:

I just moved from Chattanooga, and I'll be back for a week or more come january. If you'd like, maybe you could join us when we inevitably go hit the crags we've been missing (I know it's like three months out, but still)

That sounds awesome! Do you have private messages?

pokchu
Aug 22, 2007
D:
Sure do, PM away.

MisterPhoton
Sep 5, 2007

Shine posted:

I'm more into roped climbing so I got a membership at PRG. I'll check out The Circuit one of these days. I've always kinda ignored bouldering, so even when I was topping 5.12 and leading 5.11, I was struggling with V4 :shrug:.

I live out in Hillsboro, and have been going to Stoneworks in Beaverton. They have fewer big walls than PRG, but they have a fantastic bouldering cave that's a ton of fun. Also, a 200+ hold traverse route that moves through the whole gym - it's a fun challenge.

http://www.adventurelistings.com/listing/stoneworks-climbing-gym/

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Nifty
Aug 31, 2004

Malibu Creek State Park in So Cal.. this dude just waltzed up while my friends and I were climbing and hopped on the wall and free soloed this 5.11b, a 5.10a, and about half of 5.12a.. He's a 5.14 climber that we have seen at the gym but it was way trippy seeing this dude just get on the walls without a rope.

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